


Earth | Space

by Taeyn



Series: I have loved the stars too fondly [5]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Affection, Alternate Universe - College/University, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, It's not such a bad night after all, Lance and Lotor get locked in the college library one evening, Late Night Conversations, M/M, Sickfic, Stargazing, Tenderness, mild fever
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-27
Updated: 2017-11-27
Packaged: 2019-02-06 22:52:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,623
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12827826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Taeyn/pseuds/Taeyn
Summary: It’s one of those strange, quiet moments Lance could never have seen coming, wouldn’t trade to be anywhere else.“This isn't what I expected," Lotor murmurs, and he ghosts a hand to Lance’s jaw, gently dips his cheek against Lance’s warmer one. “Being here makes me think all sorts of silly things. That I’d like to take you up there. That one day, I will.”





	Earth | Space

**Author's Note:**

> Lance and Lotor get locked in the college library one evening. It's not such a bad night after all. <3

“I think I’m dreaming,” mumbles Lance, he can feel Lotor’s fingers through his hair, his hand cool and steady, lingering over Lance’s eyes as he squints. “You’re actually in the library.”

Lotor makes a low sound, something wry and amused, then turns his palm, rests the back of his hand to Lance’s brow when his fingertips become too warm.

“I’ve been known to visit the library on occasion,” Lotor offers, leans at the edge of the table instead of using a chair. “Only in the most exceptional circumstances, of course.”

Lance grins, then blinks, he’s been using a pile of books as a pillow and he’s pretty sure half his study notes are still stuck to his face.

“Are you calling me exceptional?” Lance winks, and though the lights are too bright and his vision still blurry, he can see Lotor’s mouth twitch to a smile, his hair falling over one eye as he gathers Lance’s scattered belongings. Lance moves his head into Lotor’s lap as he does, tangles a clumsy arm around Lotor’s waist.

“Are you trying to charm me into staying?” Lotor returns, affectionate, and Lance’s grin pulls askew, his limbs less achy against the warmth of Lotor’s middle.

“Are you trying to charm me into _leaving_?” murmurs Lance, then laughs, drags himself upright so they can head back to the colleges.

“Always,” Lotor agrees, and he tucks his arm around Lance’s shoulders as they stand, leans his cheek against Lance’s brow as Lance needs a second to gather his bearings.

“So,” Lance ventures after a moment, Lotor’s eyes crease innocently at the corners. “I guess I’m not getting away with it then.”

“No, not really,” Lotor says airily, then nudges his face more snugly into Lance’s hair, lets out a relieved breath. “Though now that I’ve found you collapsed and burning-up, will you perhaps allow me to take care of you a little? Just for the novelty, if not for the need?”

Lance peeks up at him, guilty, then presses a kiss below Lotor’s ear in apology, Lotor can’t help laughing as Lance decides to bite his earlobe as an afterthought.

“I was kind of going for the whole not-worrying you thing,” Lance admits, though now that he’s on his feet, the thought of curling back into Lotor’s arms in bed is probably the only thing keeping him going, his whole body feels worn and shaky.

“Let me worry,” Lotor shrugs. He reaches his hand, long fingers threading through Lance’s as they walk toward the exit. “I like to exercise all my many talents.”

Lance pulls a silly face as Lotor can’t keep a straight-one. As feverish as he feels, it’s hard to be miserable when Lotor’s doing his best to cheer him up, Lotor so seldom attempts to be teasing that Lance feels oddly touched.

“Thanks for coming to get me,” Lance murmurs, he squeezes Lotor’s hand as Lotor pushes against the door handle. He wants to say more- _I missed you_ , or _you told me so_ , but the sentence breaks off in coughing, and Lotor suddenly looks a good deal more concerned.

“Sorry. Just a sore throat-” Lance manages, his eyes are tearing as Lotor offers his sleeve, then tries the door again.

“What time does this place happen to close?” asks Lotor, in exactly the sort of lighthearted tone that makes Lance raise an eyebrow, give a crooked smile.

“Ha-ha,” Lance says hoarsely, then wraps his arms fondly around Lotor’s waist, pretends to pin him to the wall. “As much as I love you, I can’t even _pretend_ to fall for that one, my skills as a theatre-major can only go so far, and then-”

Lance pushes into the door, intending to open it with a dramatic flourish and sweep Lotor into the foyer. Instead, he bangs his shoulder against solid glass, the foyer lights stay completely dark, and the library remains, completely and unequivocally, locked.

“Ahh, my cunning deceptions foiled once more,” Lotor says warmly, and in spite of everything his expression makes Lance laugh all over again, then muffle a second fit of coughing as Lotor pats his back in regret.

“Oh man,” Lance sniffles, and Lotor draws him soothingly against his chest, mumbling things like _oh dear_ , and _let me get your some water_ , while Lance tries and fails to make a joke in return.

“Oh man,” Lance starts again, when he can breathe. “So I’m finally locked in a really cool place with a _really_ hot guy, and… I can already tell this won’t end in us making out all night.”

Lotor, who had been pressing a gentle kiss to Lance’s hair, peeks down as Lance winks up at him.

“I’ll fetch you that drink of water,” Lotor says after a moment, the tips of his ears ever so slightly flushed as he takes a backward step toward the vending machine. “And-”

Lance’s heart does a strange, swoopy thing as his boyfriend pauses, then glares, waves his hand in the general direction of the bookshelves.

“-and you really need to reevaluate your definition of a _cool place,_ ” Lotor finishes, then stalks determinedly around the corner without so much as a second glance.

Lance slouches against the wall, grinning.

Then, with no more than a mild curiosity, takes another look at the door.

_…seriously?_

Lance crouches down, hands shuffling through his backpack for a pen. It looks a lot like one of the locks from his old high school, the ones intended to prevent seniors sneaking out to the mall during free periods.

Lance squints, presses his tongue between his teeth as he levers the nib of the pen below the catch. There’s a soft click, and Lance sits back on his heels, far too pleased with himself.

“Lance, shall I get us some snacks too?” Lotor calls from the opposite wing, though he sounds like he’s wrestling enough with the vending machine as it is. “They have chips… or, chocolate? Or colourful… jellys? I think?”

Lance smiles, he’s about to yell that he’s cracked the case when Lotor pops his head around the corner. Despite Lance’s lack of an answer, he seems to have purchased at least one of everything.

“I haven’t tried any of these,” says Lotor, and he flops back down next to Lance, looks more tangled than comfortable as he crosses his legs. “But sugar’s always nice when I’m not feeling well. And these look interesting-”

Lotor opens one of the water bottles, then rustles for his bag of jelly snakes and holds them out somewhat hopefully.

“They’re actually my favourite when I’m sick,” Lance says honestly, watches as Lotor pops one into his mouth, his expression crumpling in surprise a second later.

“Very sticky,” Lotor mumbles in appreciation, doesn’t wait until he’s finished before trying another. Lance smiles.

“As cheesy as this is going to sound,” Lance says, and he tips the bag at various angles, trying to find Lotor a rare strawberry-flavoured one. “This is kind of making me feel better. I wouldn’t even mind if we _were_ locked-in.”

Lotor gives him a quizzical glance, his stare travelling from the door handle to Lance’s dismantled pen on the floor. Lance is just about to demonstrate, when another idea occurs to him. If _all_ the locks happen to be like this…

“We’re not-?” Lotor starts.

“Have you ever seen the roof of this place?” Lance says at the same time, and recognition flickers in Lotor’s eyes, he looks vaguely impressed.

“At night?” Lance continues, he gets to his feet and holds out both hands to pull Lotor up. “Like, for stargazing?”

“I haven’t…” Lotor says slowly, unreadable. “But perhaps-”

“Just for a few minutes,” Lance reassures him. “Just while we have the chance.”

“You _are_ trying to charm me into staying,” Lotor says tenderly, but he allows Lance to tug him across the space, watches with no small degree of fascination as Lance uses his pen to release the lock to the stairwell instead.

“And it’s totally working,” Lance winks. “Looks like I was wrong- I’m finally locked in the library with my crush, and now I get to use all my ametuer badass skills to win him over!”

“Out of curiosity,” laughs Lotor, and he brushes a hand self-consciously over his mouth, eyebrows tipping as his cheeks warm all over again. “If that person also happens to be your partner, may I ask how long before-”

“Yeah, never,” Lance grins, and this time when he pushes into the door on the uppermost level, it actually opens.

And it’s _way_ more impressive than the library foyer.

“Wow,” whispers Lance, and though his voice is low, it carries across the empty rooftop, fades into the dusting of stars above. Lotor’s shoulders lift with a breath, he tips his head back, silvery hair silhouetted against the sky.

“Pretty cool place, huh,” Lance whispers, Lotor stares unblinking at the dark. It’s one of those strange, quiet moments Lance could never have seen coming, wouldn’t trade to be anywhere else.

“This is not what I expected,” Lotor says huskily, and he ghosts a hand to Lance’s jaw, gently dips his cheek against Lance’s warmer one. “Being here makes me think all sorts of silly things. That I’d like to take you up there. That one day, I will.”

“If anyone could,” murmurs Lance, and he means it, it’s one of those nights where the universe feels close enough to reach, all unfinished thoughts and smiles swapped when the other isn’t looking.

Somewhere between a shooting star and Lotor worrying they’ve been out long enough, Lance manages to catch one, the helpless sort of grin that Lotor hates people seeing, loose and uneven and entirely unsuppressed.

Lance smiles back.

For now, here is enough.

-

**Author's Note:**

> thank you so much for reading! c': comments & kudos are always adored and appreciated <3
> 
> say hi to me [@sillyshiro](http://sillyshiro.tumblr.com) on tumblr~! ♡ fic prompts always welcome! :'>


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